New political allegations target Alabama's GOP

(Source: MGN)

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

On Tuesday, surprising new political allegations were made that targeted Alabama's GOP.

A new report shows that some Republicans in Alabama may have received gambling money from the Poarch Creek Indians during the 2010 campaign. That was an election that saw Republicans dominate the landscape.

One of Alabama's most powerful politicians is right at the center of the allegations.

Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard denies any wrongdoing and says this report is quote, "Erroneous and not worth the paper it's printed on" but it does raise questions about whether money from casinos helped fund the GOP sweep of 2010.

In short, the report from Politico reporter Alex Burns brought to light a memo that came from the BakerHostetler law firm, that was hired by the Republican State Leadership Committee.

The firm warned of quote, "possible criminal penalties" related to a particular practice that involved the 2010 Alabama election cycle.

Put simply, the report alleges that Mike Hubbard would ask for campaign contributions from the Poarch Creek Indians and other groups. The donations would then go to the RSLC in Washington, and then the RSLC would send those funds back to Alabama, distorting the source of the money.

Officials with the RSLC told Politico that no such arrangement existed, adding that checks from the Poarch Creeks, never matched up with times when cash was sent back to Alabama.

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians never responded to requests for comment, and the Alabama Republican Party refused to comment.

As for the Speaker, Mike Hubbard, he told us he's done nothing wrong and added that the surfacing of this report is old news and that it has to do with some infighting at the Republican State Leadership Committee.

It's also worth mentioning that the officials at the RSLC who worked with Hubbard, all are no longer working there.

Hubbard served as the chairman of the state GOP until 2011. He's been Speaker of the Alabama House ever since.

President Donald Trump lashed out at South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham on Twitter again Thursday morning as Republicans criticize his response to the Charlottesville white supremacist rally that ended with one woman dead.

President Donald Trump lashed out at South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham on Twitter again Thursday morning as Republicans criticize his response to the Charlottesville white supremacist rally that ended with one woman dead.